Covid caller tune to be done away with, says report; netizens express relief

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Caller tune spreading awareness of the Covid-19 pandemic and urging citizens to get themselves vaccinated against the virus is likely to be done away with soon.

According to a report by news agency ANI, the government of India will soon issue an order in this regard.

The coronavirus disease is on a downward trend months after seeing a massive resurgence in cases, driven by the fast spreading Omicron variant. Before this, this virus had wreaked havoc across the country in the second phase of the pandemic last year. India on Monday recorded 1,270 cases, lowest since April 2020. The active caseload and Covid-19 positivity rate are also dipping on a daily basis.

The Covid-19 caller tune was introduced two years ago, weeks after the pandemic reared its ugly head in the country. Operators, including Bharti Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone-Idea, replaced their caller tunes as per government guidelines issued in March 2020.

The initial caller tune started with the sound of people coughing and sneezing and an advisory on the precautions to be taken to avoid getting infected. The tune was later changed to feature superstar Amitabh Bachchpan’s voice which was eventually replaced in January 2021 when the nationwide vaccination drive was launched. The new message urged people to get inoculated on priority and not fall prey to rumours and myths about vaccination using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘dawaai bhi, kadaai bhi’ (medicine and caution).

A plea was also filed in the Delhi high court in January last year seeking removal of Bachchan’s voice from the caller tune on the grounds that he himself had been infected by the virus, PTI reported. The plea was eventually dismissed by the high court.

Soon after ANI shared the tweet, netizens responded with relief. “That’s such a relief and calls for a celebration!!” wrote a user, while another said, “ Finally, no more irritating tune while making calls.”

The caller tune, listing the safety measures for the pandemic, had reportedly faced growing resentment in the past with several complaining about being forced to listen to the entire tune every time a call was being made.



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